Potato Fritters: Crocche di Patate
- 2 pounds baking potatoes
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for frying
- 2 large eggs, plus 1 egg white
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 1/2 cup grated pecorino cheese
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs
- Wash and peel the potatoes, cutting them into 1-inch chunks and then submerging the peeled potatoes in cold water so they don't oxidize.
- When all the potatoes are peeled and cut, place them in large pot.
- Fill the pot with cold water to just cover the potatoes.
- Add 1 tablespoon salt.
- Bring the water to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes.
- Drain the cooked potatoes.
- When they are cool enough to handle, run the cooked potatoes though a food mill.
- Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the 2 eggs.
- Mix with a wooden spoon until well combined.
- Add both cheeses, and season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
- Using the wooden spoon, mix again until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, or the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the egg white until it forms glossy firm peaks.
- Using a spatula, gently fold the beaten egg white into the potato mixture.
- The goal here is to add volume to the potato mixture, not to deflate the egg whites.
- Gently fold in the bread crumbs.
- Fill a deep pot no more than halfway with extra-virgin olive oil.
- Heat oil over medium-high heat until it reaches a temperature of 350 F degrees.
- The oil should remain at or around this temperature throughout the cooking process.
- Using a tablespoon, measure out a full tablespoon of the potato mixture to form the crocche.
- You can use your hand to gently mold the mixture into more of a circle.
- Working in batches of 6, fry the potato crocche until golden brown.
- Use a slotted spoon or spider to gently drop the fritters into the oil, being careful not to splatter the hot oil.
- Using the same spoon or spider, remove the finished fritters to a serving plate.
- Repeat process until all the crocche are cooked.
baking potatoes, extravirgin olive oil, eggs, pecorino cheese, salt, bread crumbs
Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/mario-batali/potato-fritters-crocche-di-patate-recipe.html (may not work)